Kids, Nowadays

I have always said, there are no bad kids, just bad parents. I agree with this more, and more, everytime I have an encounter with a really badly behaved child. It seems that children are becoming less and less respectful, and some seem to have no discipline, at all.

I am aware that all children have their "moments". I am a new parent and I am, well frankly, worried that my daughter is going to learn bad habits from her peers. I am not around many other children, so when I see a child, I like to engage them in some light conversation about what they like talking about. I am, normally, delighted by their enthusiasm about particular subjects. Then we will reach a point in our conversation where I will try to interject, and be completely ignored, or even worse, negated. When I was growing up, if you yelled, "NO!" at an adult, the world would open up and you would be swallowed whole. That is what I thought, at least. I believe in letting a child express him/herself, but basic curtousies should always be followed, and adhered to.

For instance, what ever happened to "yes, ma'am", or "no, ma'am"? When I was growing up, these were proper ways to address your elders. Are they considered passe'? In my mind, these little disciplines have taught me to be a kind and respectful adult. I am not perfect, and was not a perfect child, but I was taught to try to be respectful. I don't know if a lot of kids today even know the concept of respect.

There is a little boy, in my neighborhood, that obviously has some serious issues when it comes to dealing with elders. He roams the neighborhood and helps himself to others' property when ever he sees fit. He doesn't do so with malice, he just has no idea how to act properly in a social situation.

He has no clue about the concept of BOUNDARIES! Strike that, I am sure he would understand boundaries, if it came to sharing his toys. He is what we would have called a "brat". I don't know this boy well, and I really don't know his parents. It doesn't seem as if he is neglected. I see him with his father, and he doesn't seem to be the typical "problem child". He just seems to be lax in the area of certain forms of discipline. I am at a loss as to why it is so hard to discipline children, nowadays.

My mother had a really hard time disciplining my brother. He had a learning disability and had a lot of trouble in school. Looking back, I think his anger may have been manifested by his frustration at school. My sister and I never had trouble at school, and he may have felt like the odd man out. I know that there is an individual reason that all kids suffer through the issues they have.

I have a problem with the way America views discipline. For instance, it is offensive to spank your child, but it is perfectly okay to give your child drugs to "even them out". I don't believe that giving a child amphetamines will do anything to benefit their social health, or their physical health, for that matter.

My daughter is not even a year old, yet, and already I am thinking about teaching appropriate ways to deal with her peers and elders. I don't think it would hurt for a lot of parents to think about this subject. Maybe the biggest problem, today, is the fact that parents don't take the time to worry about teaching children life lessons that they don't, and shouldn't have to, learn in school. I am sure that there are a lot of parents, out there, that mean well.

Don't get me wrong, I am sure this is nothing new. I am sure that it is brought to the forefront of my consciousness because I am going to have to deal with it soon.

I love children, and doesn't discipline benefit the child more than anyone else? I have always thought so. Whether we like it or not, there is a certain set of social standards that we must accept. When we get older we learn to respect laws. If a child doesn't learn to accept these social standards, doesn't that make it harder for him/her to understand how to be a grown up? I am very distraught with this. I see beautiful children, with interesting ideas and goals, missing out. They are missing out on essential life lessons that will end up hurting them in the long run.